Biometric Ration Cards

Maharashtra will be the first state in the country to introduce biometric ration cards this year. This move will hopefully restrict the use of bogus cards. “Maharashtra will be the first state to have biometric ration cards. It will help us curb the problem of bogus cards,” food and civil supplies minister Anil Deshmukh said. The cards will have photographs and fingerprints of all members of a family so that only they can use it at rationing shops, the minister said. The state government is going to float the tender for the biometric system soon and within a year, 2.5 crore ration cards holders in the state would get biometric cards, Deshmukh said. Earlier, the state government had decided to computerise all ration cards with bar codes and had even invited tenders. However, these tenders have been cancelled to make way for the biometric system, which is more foolproof, he added. Last year, through a special campaign, the government weeded out 19 lakh bogus ration cards across the state. The campaign had been extended till March 30, Deshmukh said. The BPL (yellow card) and above poverty line (orange card) card holders are being scrutinised. White card holders or those who do not avail of foodgrain from the PDS have been excluded.